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Friday, February 26, 2016

The Cashew

So, you think you're doing pretty good. You think, wow. So lucky am I to have perfectly average kids with no issues.

And then your world gets turned on its head.

Both of my kids have had peanuts and almonds and granola bars and Thai food and mixed nuts.

But.

I suppose Henry had never actually consumed a cashew.

Both kids had a small bowl of trail mix (raisins, cranberries, peanuts and cashews) after dinner on Tuesday. I was watching Clare eat. She held up a cashew and said, "wat dat?"

At that moment, I thought, wait. She's never had a cashew ...is this okay?

Simultaneously, in the kitchen, Henry had also ingested a cashew. Told Rick something was wrong and immediately started to throw up everything he has ever eaten. His face started swelling. Red cheeks. Blisters on his lips.

Into the car for the fastest drive to town I've ever piloted.

When we arrived at emergency we were ushered in immediately. Two shots of epinephrine, IV of two antihistamines and an oral steroid finally got Henry back to being Henry.

I never thought I'd be a parent of a child with anaphylaxis, but here we are. The ER nurses kept commenting on how calm I was.

There are two reasons for that.

One: it is what it is. I knew what it was as soon as he started throwing up. It's manageable. I've worked with many kids with it. It's fine.

Two: as I was driving in, I felt frantic. I asked my mom to be with me. I said, "mom, I need you here now". As a nurse, she was the ultimate calm in medical emergencies. She was with me.